Means of refrigeration



.Func 3, 1924. A. c. WRIGHT MEANS ,OF REFRIGERATION Filed April '7, 1922 kan f Patented lune 3, 1924,

TATES ARTHUR@ WRIGHT,` or DES MOINES, IOWA.

MEANS OF REFRIGERATION.

Application filed April 7,

To allie/m2117125 may concern.'

Be it known that l, ARTHUR C. WRIGHT, a citizenof the United States of America, and resident of Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa. `have invented a new and useful Means of Refrigeration, of which the following is a specification.

' An object of this invention is to provide improved means for economically and efficiently cooling meats, `vegetables or other 'perishable substances.

A further object `of this .invention is to yprovide an improved means for refrigeration wherein forced drafts of air are employed, passing across a spray of water or moisture-laden vehicles, and. directed to storage compartments containing objects under treatment.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved means for refrigeration without the use of ice or ammonia coils or other similar expensive mechanical contrivances.

My invention consists in the means hereinafter set forth and pointed out in my claims, one form of such 'means being illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure '1 isa vertical section and Figure 2 a horizontal section substantially on. the line 2-2 of Figure 1, showing a device embodying and adapted to be employed in carrying out my invention.

In the construction of the device as shown the numeral 10 designates generally a box, housing or casing of a cooler. ice-box, refrigerator or refrigerator showcase of any suitable size and arrangement. and here shown conventionally and simply as a containerI for my apparatus. It is to be understood that any approved means may be employed for insulating the walls of the container 10, and that suitable openings may beprovided for ingress and attention to the contents. A horizontal partition 11 extends substantially across the container 10. in the form here shown, providing a'storage compartment 12in the lower portion thereof, which may be employed to contain meat, vegetables or other perishable commodities, for-which any suitable racks or shelves may be provided.' The partition 11 is formed in its central portion with an opening 13, which may extend entirely across the container 10 as here shown, or be restricted if desired; and openings 14, 15, which in of the box. 4short of the top of the box, thus providing 1922. Serial No. 550,431.

Y this instancealso extendentirely across the 10.' Guide walls 16, 17 are fixed to and risefrom end portions of the partition 11, in spaced relation to the end walls of the container, and provide passages 18, 19 registering with the endopenings 14, 15 of said partition and extending nearly to the top The guide walls 16, 17 end openings 420, 21 between their upper ends and 4the top of the box 'and aifording communication between the respective passages 18, 19 and the upper compartment of the box. Inclined baliie walls or sheets 22, 23 may be provided, extending from the tops of the guide walls 16, 17 to the partition 11, and spaced at their lower ends lsuitable distances from the central opening 13 of said partition. Any suitable means may be employed for introducing water, preferably in spray form, to the upper compartment of ythe box. In this instance a pair of pipes 24,

25 are illustrated, communicating with a suitable source of supply and being formed with a plurality of jet openings 26 for the discharge of water. A fan 27 is provided and preferably is located centrally vof the top of the box 10I and arranged to create a forced draft of-air downwardly in the upper compartment thereof, across the pipes 24, 25 and other devices located in 'said compartment, toward the central opening 13 of the partition'. This forced draft of air is cooled by intimate contact with the water in the upper compartment. and passing to the lower compartment 12 is employed to cool and preserve the contents thereof. The air then returns to the upper compartment by means of the openings 14, 15, passages 18, 19 and openings 20, 21, as indicated by the arrows in Figure 1, and such circulation is maintained `bythe action of the fan 27 indefinitely..A Thev fan as here shown is operable by electric power furnished through conductors 28. A suitable shield 29 overlies and is spaced from the opening 13, so that water is kept from passing through said opening to the compartment 12. Pans 30, 31

may be provided to receive the fallingv water, said pans resting on the partition 11 on opposite sides of the opening 13, and they may be provided with any suitable drainage means to lead away the water, as through vents 32.

idx

lf desired any suitable mechanical means may be employed to assist in securing intimate contact ot the downwardly passing air currents with the water in the upper compartment, and I have shown two such means as illustrating what can be done to facilitate the refrigerating influence. Sheets 33, 3l of heavy or coarse textile material, such as burlap, are suitably arranged relative to the sprays of water that they may be constantly soaked with moisture and act as vehicles to retain such moisture and to cool the downward currents of air. The sheets 33, 34 may be secured to rods or wires 36 extending transversely of the box, and in this instance are arranged substantially parallel with and spaced from the inclined baflies 22, 23 respectively. They are thus in position to receive moisture from the pipes 24, 25, and are in the paths of the downwardly passing currents ot air and present considerable surfaces for contact of such currents and cooling iniuence thereon.

Another means to this end is `furnished by way of relativelv porous objects resting on the partition 11 and adapted to be moistened by water falling from the pipes 241, 25 or other source of supply. .ln this instance l have illustrated .unvitritied tile employed for this purpose, said tile resting, in any desired number, in or above the pans 30, 31, and in the paths ot the currents passing toward the opening 13. The tile 35 act as a vehicle for retaining considerable moisture at all times, and offer a large surface to the passing air currents and etfectively cool them on their way to the storage compartment 12.

The apparatus as above described for maintaining currents of air which pass through the storage compartment, and are first subjected to the cooling influence ot a considerable quantity of water, is effective for the purpose of retrigerating` substances in the compartment 12 and preserving them, and is much more economical than the use ot ice, ammonia coils or the like, and is also convenient.

lt is to be understood that the form of container or box here shown is merely illustrative and may be varied at pleasure, and that the means shown andfdescribed is also only one of a great many which may be ettectively used in a similar manner to attain the same end.

l claim as my invention- 1. Refrigerating means, comprising a container, a transverse partition dividing said container into a refrigeration compartment and a storage compartment, said partition being formed with a central opening or passage and openings at the ends of the partition for return of a current ot air to said refrigeration compartment, a blower device located opposite said central opening,

adapted to direct a current of air to said storage compartment, spray devices between said blower and central opening for injecting water into said air current before its passage through said central opening, and absorbent substance located in the path of the air current and adapted to receive and retain moisture from said spray devices.

2. Retrigerating means, comprising a container, a transverse partition dividing said compartment into a refrigeration compartment and a storage compartment, said partition being formed with a central opening for the passage of air currents to said .storage compartment and openings at the ends of the partition for the return of said currents, a tan located opposite said central opening and adapted to direct air currents to saidY storage compartment, spray devices between said Jfan and central opening for inject-ingl water into said air currents before their passage through said opening.

pans located on said partition beneath saidv spray devices` absorbent devices located in said pans and within said air currents and adapted to retain moisture for moistening said currents.

Retrigerating means. comprising a container. a transverse partition dividing said container into a refrigeration compartment and a storage compartment, said partition being tormed with a centra-l opening for the passage ot' air currents to said storagecompartment and openings at the ends of the partition for the return of said currents, a tan located opposite and directed toward said central opening for the creation of air currents therethrough, spray devices between said tan and central opening for injecting water into said air currents, pans located on said partition on opposite sides ot said central opening and beneath said spray devices, absorbent substance located in said pans and within said air currents, and. a shield covering said central opening.

4. Refrigerating means. comprising a container. a transverse partition dividing` said compartment into a refrigeration compartment and a storage compartment, said partition being 'l'ormed with a central opening tor the passage ot air currents to said storage compartment and openings at the ends of the partition for the return of such currents, a fanlocated opposite said central opening and adapted to direct air currents therethrough. spray devices located between said fan and central opening for injecting water into said air currents` and sheets stretched in said refrigeration compartment within said air currents and adapted to receive water from said spray devices. l l

Signed at Des Moines, in the county ot' Polk and State ot lowa. this 4th day of March, 1922.

ARTHUR C. WRIGHT.

iao 

